Rediff

New York, Dec 18: A millionaire Indian-American couple were on Monday convicted of 'modern-day slavery' for subjecting two Indonesian housemaids to repeated psychological and physical abuse in their New York mansion.

India-born Mahender Murlidhar Sabhnani, 51, and his wife, Indonesian-born Varsha, 45, could face up to 40 years in prison after both were each convicted in a 12-count federal indictment that included forced labour, conspiracy, involuntary servitude and harboring aliens.

The allegations against the couple included forcing the Indonesian maids, identified as Samirah and Enung, to work 18 hours or more a day, beatings with brooms and umbrellas, slashing with knives and being made to repeatedly climb stairs and take freezing showers.

One of the couple's daughters' fainted while the jury's verdict was being read out, prompting the judge to clear the courtroom while she was given medical attention.

Prosecutors have described the charges against the couple as a case of 'modern day slavery,' while defense attorneys contended the two women made up the story of abuse.

The Sabhnanis, who operate a worldwide perfume business from their Muttontown home and with factories in Singapore and Bahrain, were arrested in May after one of the women wearing only pants and a towel was found wandering near a Dunkin Donut restaurant.

An interview by police reportedly revealed bruises on the upper part of her body. The other woman was found during a search of the couple's house the same day. The women, who do not know English, were interviewed with the help of an interpreter.

Prosecutors said the women were beaten and scalded for small mistakes they were perceived to have made. One woman was allegedly forced to eat 25 hot chilies at one time and forced to eat her vomit after she could not digest the chillies.

The couple spent nearly three months in jail before getting a $4.5 million bail, but they were kept under house arrest and paid 10,000 dollars a day for round-the-clock monitoring as prosecutors had argued they posed a flight risk.

Jeffrey Hoffman, one of the couple's lawyers, said: "We are very disappointed in the verdict," adding they will appeal the decision.

He said the jury was taken in by the histrionics of the maids, who gave details in court about the alleged abuse and torture they underwent for four years at the hands of the couple.

"There are a number of appeals," Hoffman said, adding, "We will pursue this so that they get justice."